


Sudden Changes

by orphan_account



Series: Being Human [2]
Category: Steam Powered Giraffe
Genre: human bots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-11
Updated: 2012-10-11
Packaged: 2017-11-16 02:11:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/534330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the end of the school year again and honestly, you couldn't be happier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sudden Changes

It’s the end of the school year again and honestly, you couldn’t be happier. It’s not as if you don’t like school. You do. You love it, in fact. It’s just that you’d rather use your time doing other things, like spending time with Stephen and Darren. You promise yourself that you’re going to do that this summer, and you swear that you won’t so much as pick up a pencil to even  _doodle_ anything. But of course, you know there’s no way you could give up art for the whole summer (nor  _should_ you, your professor had said). So sure, you’ll sketch a few things here and there, but for the most part you’ll be hanging out with your brother and your roommate.

—

It becomes apparent by the third day of summer vacation that Stephen isn’t going to be doing a lot of hanging out. At least, not anytime soon. He tells you that he’s feeling a bit down in the dumps.

 

“How so?” You ask him. You wonder if he could be ill and if he is, you hope it isn’t anything serious.

He shrugs, and doesn’t give you a verbal response for a few moments. You raise an eyebrow.

“I don’t know, I’m just not really up to doing anything,” He sighs. “I think… I’m just going to go back to our room for a while.”

You don’t argue with him. You know that if your brother isn’t feeling well - in whatever sense that may be - that he should rest, and do what he feels like doing. You don’t want to keep him from feeling better, after all.

—

You and Darren end up spending the day in the park. You spend your time feeding the ducks at the pond, and Darren watches you. Occasionally you’ll hand him a few breadcrumbs. He’ll smile and toss them toward one of the ducks, who will eat them up greedily before waddling away to play with it’s brothers and sisters.

Darren knows how much you love the ducks, so he always agrees to accompany you to the pond, and never asks if  _maybe_ you’d like to do something else for a change.

“You’ve been through a lot this past year,” He tells you. “You deserve to have a little fun right now.”

You grin at him because you think he’s right. You do deserve it, and you’re really glad he thinks so.

—

It isn’t until the end of the week that Stephen finally emerges from his and your bedroom for more than a few minutes.

Instead of holing himself up in the bedroom, Stephen’s laying on the livingroom couch. The television is on, and it’s playing a documentary about the three-toed sloth. You don’t think that he actually cares much about it because you’ve never seen him watching anything like it before.

As you walk into the livingroom, Stephen glances up at you and then back at the TV.

“Hi,” You greet him. He doesn’t say anything, but he gives you a quiet hum in greeting.

“What’cha up to?” You ask. Again, he doesn’t say anything, but he moves his shoulder in what you assume is meant to be a shrug. It’s awfully hard to tell when he’s not sitting upright.

“Not feelin’ very talkative, huh?”

He sighs.

“That’s a no?”

He gives you another hum, this one meant to be a ‘yeah’.

“Do ya… Want me to stay, or should I…?”

He shakes his head.

You frown, but leave anyway. You figure he’s in a bad mood and that just leaving him be for a while might help. So, you spend most of the rest of the night sitting on your bed with your sketchbook, drawing pretty much anything you can come up with.

—

“I think somethin’s wrong with Stephen,” You tell Darren the next day over breakfast.

“Yeah,” He says as he pours himself a bowl of cereal. “He seems… Out of it. I’m kind of worried.”

“Me too, but,” You sigh. “I dunno.”

“Hm?”

“It’s just that… Ugh, I dunno what I’m s’posed to do,” You bury your face in your hands.

“Have you tried talking to him?” asks Darren.

“Yeah,” You reply.

“Well… Did you ask him if he’s okay? Or, what’s wrong?”

“…No.”

“Well, you might want to try that.”

—

“Hey, Stephen…?” You crack open the door to his and your bedroom.

Stephen is laying on the floor when you enter the room. You aren’t sure why, so you ask him. He does that same movement of his shoulder, where you’re pretty sure it’s a shrug, but you can’t really tell.

“Oh,” You say. “Well. I just wanted to ask ya… Ya know. I- I just wanna know what’s wrong.”

You sit down next to him on the floor. He sits up and looks at you, but doesn’t say anything for a while.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” He mumbles finally.

“Are ya sure?” You frown. “I won’t say anythin’ if ya don’t want me to. I’ll just listen.”

“I… I don’t…” Stephen trails off.

“Come on,” You beg. “I won’t tell anyone, it’s just- I’m really worried about you, and. And I just want to know what’s bummin’ ya out.”

It takes a few seconds, but he mutters something under his breath that you assume is supposed to be an answer.

“What?” You ask.

He says it again slightly louder, but you still can’t understand a word of it.

“Ya gotta speak up, Stephen. I ca—”

“I like a girl, okay?!” He nearly shouts. His face turns bright red and he looks away from you. “Sorry.”

Oh.

Well, this is much better than you thought it would be.

“Stephen, that’s great!” You smile at him.

“No, it’s not,” He sits up so that he’s leaning back on his elbows. “It’s awful.”

“What d’ya mean?”

“I  _mean_ , she doesn’t like me back,” Stephen says.

“How do you know that?” You ask. He sighs.

“Because I’m me.”

“…What? But you’re great!” You tell him.

“No, I’m not!” He exclaims. “I’m skinny, and too serious, and quiet, and not funny, and- I’m just not- Ugh, I don’t know, people just don’t  _like_ me!”

Words could not describe how much this hurt you. You’d known Stephen for years upon years - decades upon decades, and he’d always been perfect in your eyes. Sure, maybe you were biased, but you were positive that other people thought he was great, too.

You lean forward and gather your little brother in your arms.

“Ya know what I think?” You ask him. “I think you’re nice, and clever, and talented, and charming, and not bad-lookin’, either. You’re a high-quality man, I tell ya. ‘N anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong.”

He mutters a quiet “thank you” and hugs you back. As soon as you let go of him, you place your hands on his shoulders and look him straight in the eye.

“Now, next time ya see this girl,” You begin. “I want ya to talk to her. Alright? Be brave, buddy.”

Stephen cracks a small smile and nods.

“I will,” He says.

“Good!” You grin at him, and pat him on the back. “Now, how ‘bout we get off the floor and go watch a movie, or somethin’?”

“Okay,” Stephen nods. “ _Singing In The Rain_?”

“Sure, buddy. Anything ya like.”

—

Jon comes to visit in late June. He’s brought more suitcases than you see necessary, but you don’t ask him about it because you figure you’ll get an answer like “I couldn’t decide which stuffed animals I should bring, so I brought them all.” He practically tackles you as soon as he enters the apartment. You laugh and pat him on the head. He doesn’t let go of you for several seconds, and when he does he’s grinning at you from ear to ear.

—

As soon as Jon has you and Stephen in one room, he begins telling the two of you nearly everything that’s happened to him for the past six months.

As he talks, and talks, and talks, you begin noticing how much he’s changed. His hair is longer - it used to reach just past his chin, but now it’s nearly at his shoulders. He’s gotten a little taller, but he’s also filled out a bit (which is good; you always thought he was too skinny).

But you also notice something else. You notice that, while he is beaming as he tells his stories, his eyes don’t hold that same spark of enthusiasm and curiosity that they used to. It’s disheartening to say the least, and you worry that there is a reason for the distinct lack of brightness in your baby brother’s orbs.

“Jon?” You interrupt him. He stops talking and closes his mouth, still smiling.

“Hm?”

“Are you okay?” You ask. Stephen stares at you as if to say  _‘What are you doing?’_. Jon’s smile falters but remains on his face.

“Yeah,” He says. “Why?”

“I- I dunno,” You sigh. “Y’just seem a little… Off. Are ya sure nothin’s wrong?”

Jon doesn’t answer you at first. He simply keeps smiling at you. It’s a bit unnerving, and you’re sure that you’re correct about something being wrong.

“Well,” Jon says finally. “It’s… Um. Can I just talk to  _you_ , Robbie?” He glances over at Stephen, who seems to understand as he puts his hands up in a gesture that says ‘ _Alright, alright,’_ and proceeds to leave the room.

“Okay, Jon,” You begin once the two of you have been left alone. “What’s goin’ on?”

Jon shifts uncomfortably in his seat and clears his throat. “Uh. I, um… Do you remember that really pretty girl I met? Madeline?”

You nod.

“Well, I- I met her parents,” Jon mumbles.

“Oh, that’s good,” You tell him, but he shakes his head.

“No, it-” He sighs. “They… They don’t like me very much. I- They think I’m stupid, and… That I’m not good enough for Madeline.”

Suddenly, your heart sinks.

“Did she…?” You trail off.

Jon bites his lip and nods slightly.

“She left me,” He says. It comes out as almost a whimper.

“Oh,” is all you’re able to say at first. And for a brief moment, you wonder why everyone is having relationship problems but you. You quickly shake off that thought, however, and move your chair closer to Jon so that you can comfort him.

You wrap an arm around him and gently rub his shoulder.

“It’s alright, buddy,” You tell him. He’s shaking and you know he’s about to cry, so you pull him into a tighter hug. He begins to sob, and you whisper comforting words into his ear.

“Ra- I- I mean- Robbie…?” Jon says in between sniffles.

“Yeah, buddy?”

“I- I really loved Madeline,” He mumbles.

“I know you did.” You begin carding your hand through his hair.

“She took good care of me, and everything,” Jon says. “She did the laundry when I forgot. And she always reminded me not to eat peanuts.”

“Wait, she did the-” You pause for a moment. “Jon?”

“Mhm?”

“Did- did you live with her?”

“Mhm.”

“So, then… Where do you live now?”

“Oh. Um. Can I talk to you about that?”

—

Jon ends up moving in with you, Stephen, and Darren. You’re okay with this - really. The only concern you have is getting Jon into another school. But you figure that you have time to worry about that. For now, you are simply glad that Jon is alright.

—

“Hey, Robbie?” Stephen peeks his head into the bedroom one night. You look up from your sketch book.

“Yeah?”

Stephen enters the room, closing the door behind him. He’s still dressed from earlier in the day when he went out for coffee. You, on the other hand, have been wearing your pyjamas all day.

“I- I didn’t tell you before, but… While I was out today, um. I- I talked to that girl I told you about,” He stutters, and you can’t tell if he’s upset or excited.

“Did ya?” You ask. “How’d it go?”

“Well…” He doesn’t continue for a few seconds, and you fear the worst.

“…I have a date. On Friday,” He says, face breaking into a grin. You all but leap off of the bed, and embrace him as tightly as you possibly can.

“Aw, Stephen, that’s fantastic!” You almost squeak with joy.

You let go of him, your hands still on his shoulders, and smile.

“So,” You say. “When do we get to meet her?”

—

It’s two weeks later that Stephen invites her over to the apartment to meet the family (and Darren).

She’s petite, you must say. And she looks even tinier standing next to Stephen, who is at least a foot taller than her. It’s actually sort of humorous, you think. But you don’t say that out loud.

“It’s real nice to meet ya, um…” You realise that you haven’t a clue what her name is.

“Delilah,” She says, and holds out a hand to you. The name makes your heart sink a little, but you quickly compose yourself and shake her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, too,” She tells you, “Stephen’s told me all about you.”

You perk up a bit at this.

“He has?” You ask. Delilah smiles.

“Yeah, like…” She thinks for a moment. “He told me that you like telling really bad jokes all of the time.”

Stephen tries and fails to stifle his laughter, and you pout at the both of them.

“Hey! I’ll have you know that my jokes are fantastic!”

“You keep believing that, Robbie,” Stephen says.

“Oh, I will,” You narrow your eyes at him. “‘Cause It’s  _true._ ”

—

At dinner Delilah meets Jon, who is more than excited to finally be able to talk to her.

“You’re very pretty,” Jon says as he makes an attempt at cutting his steak. He gives up after a short while, and Darren does it for him.

“Thank you,” Delilah smiles. “You’re quite charming, yourself.”

Jon doesn’t thank her, but he laughs that wonderful boyish laugh of his, and smiles right back at her.

Stephen seems to be glad they’re getting along, because he is smiling as well.

“You’re name is really pretty too,” Jon says as Darren finishes cutting his steak for him. “Our Mama was named Delilah, but she died, and-”

“Jon!” Stephen all but shouts.

“What?” Jon asks, clearly not aware that he’s done anything wrong.

You can sense how angry Stephen is, so you do the first thing that comes to mind.

“Jon,” You place a hand on your little brother’s shoulder. “I- I think it’d be best if ya just stayed in your room for a little while. Just until Spine’s cooled off a bit.”

The last part is whispered so that Stephen doesn’t hear it.

—

After dinner has ended and Delilah has left, you stand outside of the bedroom, and listen as Stephen talks to - or, yells at - Jon.

“Why would you  _say_ something like that?!” Stephen shouts.

“I’m sorry,” Jon whimpers for what seems like the hundredth time.

“I  _know_ you’re sorry, but that doesn’t change anything! You don’t- You don’t  _bring up_ things like that when we have company, I- You can’t do that!”

“I didn’t know it was bad, I- I’m sorry!”

“She’s my girlfriend, Jon! All I wanted was for you, and Robbie, and Darren to make a good impression! That’s  _all_ I asked for! But you just couldn’t let me have that, could you?”

You hear a quiet sob, and you know that Jon has started crying.

“Oh, for God’s sake, don’t- Don’t cry!”

“I’m sorry, Spine-”

“My name isn’t ‘Spine’ anymore, Jon!”

This was louder than you’d expected. There is a brief silence afterward.

“Jon, I just- Just-  _Why?_ ”

“W-why what?”

“Why are you so  _stupid?_ ”

At this point, you decide that it’s time to intervene. You enter the room as quietly as possible.

“Jon?”

Jon is sitting on his bed, eyes red and cheeks stained with tears. Stephen - all six feet and five inches of him - is standing over Jon. You can’t imagine Jon being anything but terrified.

Neither of them say anything when they see you.

“Jon, come with me, would ya?”

Jon quickly stands and runs to you. You take him out of the room and close the door, leaving Stephen to his own devices.

You lead Jon to the living room couch, and sit him down. You take a seat next to him, and place a comforting hand on his back.

“Y’alright?” You ask.

Jon sniffs and shakes his head.

“Look, buddy,” You say. “I’m sorry. Stephen’s got no right to yell at ya like that. What ya did isn’t that bad, and… You don’t deserve this.”

Jon doesn’t say anything. Instead, he scoots closer to you and rests his head on your shoulder.

“Robbie? Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, buddy. Go ahead.”

“Am… Am I stupid?”

You frown.

“No, Jon,” You reply. “And you shouldn’t think that.”

“But- But Madeline’s parents, and- And The Spi- I- I mean- I’m sorry,” He begins to cry again, and he wraps his arms around you.

“Jon… Hush, don’t apologise to me. Look, you and Stephen- You’re both goin’ through some big things right now. Stephen’s in a relationship, and you’re just gettin’ outta one. It’s a lot to deal with, and you’re both really… Stressed.

You feel Jon nodding against your shoulder.

“And, ya know, that’s okay. ‘Cause that’s normal, and in the end what matters is that us three are still brothers, and this’ll all blow over eventually.

Jon nods again.

“I love you, Rabbit.”

You don’t correct him.

“I love you too, buddy. Now, we’re gonna go back to our room, and you and Stephen are gonna talk to each other, alright?”

“But Ra-”

“Shh. I’ll be there if you need me.”

You take Jon back the the bedroom.

You open the door slowly, and peek your head inside.

“Stephen…?”

Stephen is sitting on his bed - head in his hands. He says nothing, but looks up at you.

“I think you and Jon need to talk.”

You usher Jon into the room. He stops dead in his tracks the second he sees Stephen.

Stephen stares at Jon, waiting for him to speak.

“U-um. I- I, uh,” Jon glances back at you for reassurance. You nod at him.

“I,” He begins again. “I’m really sorry I, um. That I mentioned Ma- I mean. Delilah, around… Around  _other_ Delilah. But- But I don’t think I’m stupid. And Rab- Robbie doesn’t think I’m stupid either. So you- You shouldn’t call me stupid.”

It takes a few moments, but Stephen nods.

“…You’re right,” He sighs. “I just- Look, I don’t know what got into me, but… You’re not in the wrong here, and… You shouldn’t be sorry. You’re not stupid, it’s this whole situation that’s stupid.”

Jon walks toward Stephen and stops a few paces in front of him.

“Can I…?” Jon holds out his arms.

“Yeah, alright,” Stephen says before Jon has practically tackled him in a tight hug.

“We’re still brothers, right?” Jon asks.

“Of course we are,” Stephen replies.

You make your way over to Jon and Stephen, and embrace both of them.

“Never won’t be,” You say.

“Robots or not?” asks Jon.

You smile.

“Robots or not.”


End file.
